ACADEMICS : TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES 2010-2011

Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and pleasing and perfect.
~ Romans 12:2

American Catholic Schools for the 21st Century open minds and hearts and doors to an increasingly diverse world, and prepare students' minds and hearts and hands t olive wisely and generously in a technological , complex and interdependent world.
~ National Catholic Educational Association, 1994

Students in the millennial generation have been affected by a number of events that make them the most technologically advanced generation in history. Because of their ability to adapt technology to their work and lifestyle, students in this generation have been referred to as “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001) or “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, games, and the Internet. Educators must embrace cutting edge technology to enable them to be more productive and connected to today’s learner and to the rise of global expansion throughout the digital world.

Our teachers must be aware of the perpetual changing needs of today’s student and the learning environment necessary for optimal effectiveness. The following implications for teaching and learning apply to technology (Oblinger, 2005).

• Technology is a tool to be used in learning and social environments.
• Millennial students prefer working in teams with others, sharing physical and virtual interactions. Technology can be used to form communities and social networks or as a social outlet.
• Discovery learning or constructivist learning is more effective than lecture. Students prefer gaming, simulations, and visualizations as forms of teaching. Technology is the preferred tool of investigation.
• Multitasking-Millennial students have the capacity to parallel process or rather to expect immediate responses and answers to their questions.
• Multiple media literacy is preferred to reading literacy. Millennial students are more visually literate than any previous generation. They prefer image-rich rather than text only environments. Today's students retain only 10% of what they read, but 30% of what they see.

The educational climate is constantly evolving and educators have the primary responsibility to continually meet the needs of their students. Technology is an integral component to meeting these needs.

Sacred Heart Cathedral strives to meet the needs of people through the love of Jesus Christ.